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Advice on Cleaning an Aircrew BD

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
I have a 1943 dated Aircrew Blouse that has been hanging around for years, but really needs a good cleaning. It has some moldy spots and lots of old closet grime....plus maybe some ground in dirt from use as a gardening jacket. It had a wing on it, but that is now in the pocket. It also has some moth bites, so I don't want to get too aggressive and make them worse.

Years ago, a Canadian Army vet told me the way they cleaned their BD's was to dip them in gasoline....and blamed that for his premature baldness. :shock: I think I would opt for dry cleaning before that. :D

That said, I am curious if you guys who deal with this wool stuff all the time have any hand washing advice that might be better than sending this off to the cleaners.

Thanks!
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
I'd go with the recent advice of hand washing with dish soap. In the states, Dawn dish washing soap is well known for it's superior grease lifting effect. Having washed many car, bike, and MC parts I will be first to say it's the best in a "mild" soap.
It's amazing what a vacuum cleaner and a stiff brush can do.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
dmar836 said:
It's amazing what a vacuum cleaner and a stiff brush can do.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

You are Wrong!!

I would pay a dry cleaner....and then see how Tier 2 soaking and scrubbing go.
Step by step...

Couchy..
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
ausreenactor said:
I would pay a dry cleaner....and then see how Tier 2 soaking and scrubbing go.
Step by step...

Couchy..

Question: Is "Tier 2" something specific, or just the next step if dry cleaning fails?

I am actually a firm believer in brushing wool too. With many things, it is amazing what putting something in the sunshine and then brushing it with an old time clothing brush, and repeating the process will do.

However, with this piece what is on it has been impervious to horsehair. I took the brush to it again yesterday, and my new conclusion is what I am dealing with is a probable blast of liquified cat poo...."cat flack".....from 1967. :shock:

Thanks guys!
 

a2jacketpatches

Active Member
Here's a technique, a little out of the ordinary, but if you have a compressor and paint gun, try it.

Fill with acetone, set at 100 psi, and spray directly into any stain from the outside of the article with a cotton cloth backing the inside. If the stain can be removed, this will remove it without damaging the fibers, color, etc. This will remove a set in black grease stain in about 10 seconds flat.
 

Andrew

Well-Known Member
dmar836 said:
...
It's amazing what a vacuum cleaner and a stiff brush can do.


Dave aren't you involved in medicine somehow? I would have thought you might have seen a few injuries "caused" by vacuums and stiff brushes ;)

I'd opt for the dry cleaner personally.
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
After I gave it another unsuccessful brushing, it was by the door to go to the cleaners. Laziness and indecision has since set in, and it is now back in it's old spot in the closet. Once I get something else in need of going to the cleaners, I'll dig this out and put in the pile to go again.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
unclegrumpy said:
After I gave it another unsuccessful brushing, it was by the door to go to the cleaners. Laziness and indecision has since set in, and it is now back in it's old spot in the closet. Once I get something else in need of going to the cleaners, I'll dig this out and put in the pile to go again.

Phew..I am not the only one. I have a partially dismantled NCHS USMC jacket in bits with the side seams and sleeves undone. It was all go for a whole day two weeks ago...and now it waits, and waits.

Couchy
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
You'll be fine with dry cleaning. I have an quite a few battledress blouses and most have been to the cleaners at some point.
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
LOL. My whole place is strewn with such half done projects. The wife is so tolerant!

Andrew, not too many vacuum stories but that does make the twisted mind wonder. I do have some stories that one just couldn't have made up!

Dave
 
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